Emily Moyer

Dr. Semih Eser

EGEE 101 H
April 20th, 2017
Final Essay

When reflecting on my initial essay and all that I have accomplished this semester, I can

proudly say I learned more than I thought I would. I am truly glad that I took this rigorous,

honors course because the knowledge I learned will carry on to future semesters.

First, in my initial essay I said I wanted to fully grasp the concept of energy and power,

the detriments and benefits certain energy sources have caused, and predictions for the future

of energy. My questions were not just answered, but I actually understood the specifics of each

of my curiosities. Regarding the concept of energy and power, I feel like I learned this best

through reading Energy by Smil. The book explained energy and power in physics terms, as well

as in terms of everyday life. Also, the book got into the different types of energy and power

broadly, which helped open up the class for presentations on each source. When considering the

detriments and benefits certain energy sources have caused, I feel as if there is not just one way

in which we learned about it. Some energy sources were analyzed in Smils book, The Boom

analyzed the impact of fracking for natural gas, and our class presentations included the benefits

and detriments to over ten different energy sources. Each topic was covered in great detail, and I

feel as though all students in the class will be more considerate of energy choices moving

forward. Finally, I find that Dr. Eser had covered predictions for the future of energy the best. He

allowed the students to see what is projected falsely in even the most trustworthy of sites, such as

the EIA. For instance, he explained that the supply of future petroleum has been projected wrong

throughout history, simply because of not knowing there would be new technology to obtain
more. He also has a vast knowledge on all energy sources and their impact on the environment,

so I am happy I took this class with him.

On the other hand, I learned skills through this class which will benefit me in the

future. Time management was a skill I had to adopt given the class is a challenging, but

rewarding, honors course. Specifically, I had to plan ahead on reading because the RATs were

often challenging. Without complete comprehension of the assigned sections, I would have done

poorly on the RATs, while also missing the point of the readings. Another skill I strengthened

was peer work and cooperation. For the class, we had to work together on concept maps and the

class presentation. Working with others is not always easy, but having to do so multiple times in

this class will help me to do so in the future. Finally, I learned from guest lecturers on both

writing technical papers and making an iMovie. Both of these tools will be utilized in other

classes, and I am glad I got practice with both in this class.

Overall, I am very grateful to have taken this class. I believe I have changed since the

beginning of the semester, especially in my consumption of energy. I think all people should be

more informed on this knowledge because it is not only a political topic, but an issue that will

affect all of humanity. I am also thankful for the many outside opportunities this class presented,

such as hearing Dr. Richard Alley speak. Richard Alley and EGEE 101H generally clarified

topics that are often misconstrued, and now I feel as if I can be an active and informative citizen

when regarding energy.